Hedge trimmer



M. KAMINSKY HEDGE TRIMMER May 13, 1941.

Filed Feb. 6, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l H a; 5:3?000 030 030 @k' I I I I l IO H INVENTOR Michael lfaminsky.

ATTORNEY May 13, 1941. M. KAMINSKY 2,241,999

HEDGE TRIMMER Filed Feb. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ILIIHIL INVENTQR Michael Ifanunsny.

ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE HEDGE TRIMMER Michael Kaminsky, New Britain, Conn.

Application February 6, 1939, Serial No. 254,914

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hand tools, and more particularly to hand-operated cutting tools, such as a hedge trimmer.

The form of the invention herein shown by way of example is a double-acting cutting tool, wherein a pair of cutter bars having overlapping toothed cutting blades are adapted to be reciprocated relatively to each other to shear the branches of hedges or the like.

It is'among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a hand-operated cutting tool having releasable spring means operable during the cutting operation to impart a swift powerful movement between the blades, the speed and power of such movement being in excess of that normally obtainable by direct manual operation.

Another object is to provide a hand-operated cutting tool having means operable by the manual movement of the cutter handles in one direction to store energy in a spring for swiftly and powerfully moving said cutter in the opposite direction upon completion of said manual movement.

A more specific object is to provide a hedge trimmer in which the cutting blades are manually moved on the first stroke in one direction, and the reverse stroke taking place automatically with a snap action by power built up as a consequence of the manual movement.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved hand tool of the above nature which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, two forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one form of hedge trimmer embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2, the cover being sectioned to expose the interior parts of the tool.

Fig. 4 is a sectional vew taken on the line l4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of tool, the cover being removed for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front view of the same,

looking in the direction of the arrows 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the broken line Il of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numerals It) and II denote a pair of superposed bars having rows of cutter blades I2 and I3, each having double-edged V-shaped sharpened points formed thereon. The lower bar H] is stationary and may be formed integral with a base plate I i, but is preferably secured thereto by rivets I5, as shown. The upper bar II is relatively movable and is connected with a slidable cutter bar I5, as by rivets H.

The upper cutter bar It is slidably mounted upon the base plate I4 and is guided by a pair of spaced apart posts I8 and I9, which extend upwardly from the base plate It through a pair of elongated slots and 2| formed in said bar It. A flat washer 22 having a coiled spring 23 seated thereon surrounds each post I8 and I9, and a horizontal pin 24 in each case retains the washer 22 and spring 23 on the respective post I3, I9. The spring 23 located between the pin 24 and the washer 22 acts to maintain the blades Ill and II in cutting engagement while permitting free sliding action.

The cutter bar I6 is normally urged toward an abutment post 26 by means of a relatively strong coiled spring 21 to cause its end 25 to abut said post as shown in Fig. 2. The post 26 is preferably surrounded by a cushioning pad or cap 32 of leather or the like, secured to said post by a screw 33 to cushion the blows of the cutter bar end 25 under the urge of the spring 21. One end of the coiled spring 21 is connected to a post 28 on the bar I6, as by a screw 39, and its other end is secured to a post 29 on the plate I4 by a screw 3|.

The base plate I l extends rearwardly beyond the bar It and has a handle 34 rigidly secured thereto-by rivets 35. A handle lever 36 is pivoted to the plate I4 upon a pin 37. The handle lever 36 has an arm 38 directed forwardly from the pin 31 toward the rear edge of the cutter bar I6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. A post 40 is mounted on the plate I4 adjacent the pin 31 to limit the swinging movement of the handle 36 away from the handle 34. The outer end 43 of the arm 38 is provided with a dog 4| pivoted upon a pin 42. The dog 4| is provided with a tooth or catch lug 44, which is adapted to engage a tooth or shoulder 45 formed on the rear edge 39 of the cutter bar, whereby when the two handles 34 and 36 are pressed together, the cutter bar IE will be caused to slide along the plate l4 building up tension in the strong spring 21.

The lug 44 on the dog 4| is adapted to be released from the shoulder 45 after the opposing cutting edges of the teeth I 2 and [3 have been manually moved by the handle 36 past each other in one direction by means now to be described so that the spring 2'! will automatically move the teeth I2 and I3 in the other direction with a swift powerful snap action. The means for releasing the lug 44 from the shoulder includes an extension member 46 formed on the dog 4| and a camming pin 41 secured on the base plate l4. The extension member 48 is provided with a camming edge 48, which is adapted to engage the pin 41 to rock the dog 4| upon its pivot pin 42 to disengage the lug 44 from the shoulder 45.- The dog 4| is normally urged into position to 7 cause the lug 44 to engage the shoulder 45 on the cutter bar l6 by a spring 49 acting upon a plunger 58, both slidably held in a bore 5| provided in the handle extension 38.

The spring-pressed plunger 50 engages the dog 4| at one side of the pivot pin 42 and urges the rear end 52 of said dog 4| against a stop shoulder 53 provided on the arm 38. A sheet metal cover 54 is provided to overlie the base plate I4 and the parts mounted thereon. The cover 54 is secured to the plate I4 by screws 55.

The first form of hedge trimmer shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive has the handles 34 and 36 extending rearwardly away from the cutting teeth l2 and I3 and is intended for use to trim hedges or the like, disposed directly in front of the user. To enable the user to trim hedges located at the left of thedirection the user is facing, the modified form of tool shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is provided. In this modified form the handles 56 and 51 extend in a direction substantially parallel to the toothed cutting blades 58 and 59.

The handle 56 is preferably formed integral with a base plate 68. The lower blades 58 may be formed integral with the plate 68, but preferably are secured thereto by rivets 6|. The upper cutting blade 59 is also secured by rivets 62 to a 12 of the bar 63 (see Fig. 5) toward the post II.

The cutter bar 63 is adapted to be manually moved away from the post H by means of the handle lever 51, which is pivoted to the base plate 68 by a pin 15 and has an arm 76 extending therefrom toward the bar 63. A dog 11 is pivoted on the end of the arm 16 by a pin 18. A stop pin 19 is mounted on the base plate at the right of the dog 7'! to be engaged thereby to limit the movement of the handle lever 51 away from the fixed handle 56.

The dog 11 has a lug 86 formed thereon in position to engage a shoulder 8| provided in the rear edge 82 of the cutter bar 63 to cause said bar 63 to slide along the plate 60 away from the post 1| when the handles 56 and 51 are pressed toward each other. The dog 11 is limited in its pivotal movement on the pin 18 in one direction by a lug 83 on the arm 16 which cooperates with a shoulder 84 provided on the dog 11. A coiled spring 85 having its ends connected respectively to the dog 11 and the handle 51 is tensioned to urge the lug 83 on the arm 16 and the shoulder 84 on the dog Tl toward each other;

Provision is also made to release the lug 86 from the shoulder 8| at the end of the manual movement of the handles when pushed together, whereby the spring 69 will automatically move the teeth 13 and 14 past each other in the opposite direction with a rapid powerful snap action to shear an article between the cutting edges thereof. from the shoulder 8| includes an extension finger 86 which extends outwardly from the dog 11 away from the lug 88. The extension finger 86 has a curved cam surface 81 formed thereon which is adapted to engage a camming post 88 mounted on the base plate 60 in the path of the curved surface 8'! to swing the dog 11 upon its pivot pin 18, thus raising the mg 80 out of en- Operation When it is desired to trim the branches, etc., of hedges or the like, the user will grasp the handles 34 and 36, or 56 and 57, as the'case may be, and manually push them toward each other. This action slides the cutter bar I6 or 63 along the base plate M or 60 to move the respective cutting teeth past each other in one direction for the first cutting stroke. At the end of the manual cutting stroke, the dog 4| or 11 will be released, causing the strong spring 21 or 69 to automatically retract the bar l6 or 63 along the base plate M or 60 to move the cutting teeth past each other in the other direction.

While there have been disclosed in this specification two forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be embodied and modified in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a hedge trimmer, a fixed cutting member, a movable cutter member, a handle for operating the latter, spring means connected to both cutter members and energized by the movement of said movable cutter member in'one direction, a catch movably mounted on said handle to initially hold said movable cutter member while it is being energized and means to suddenly disengage said catch from said movable cutter member to permit said spring to automatically return said movable cutter member to its originalposition when saidmovable cutter'member has been moved to the end of its travel in the other direction.

2. In a hedge trimmer, a fixed cutting member, a movable cutter member, a handle for operating the latter, spring means connected to both cutter members and energized by the movement of said movable cutter member in one direction, a catch movably mounted on said handle The means for so releasing the lug v and connected with said movable cutter member while it is being energized and cam-operated means to suddenly disengage said catch from said movable cutter member to permit said spring to automatically return said movable cutter member to its original position when said movable cutter member has been moved to the end of its travel in the other direction.

3. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a handle fixed thereto, a handle lever pivoted to said base plate, a fixed cutter bar mounted on one edge of said base plate, a movable cutter bar initially operatively connected to said handle lever, spring means connected to said base plate and to said movable cutter bar for opposing the movement of said cutter bar in one direction, and means pivoted to said handle lever to suddenly disconnect said handle lever from said movable cutter bar when said lever has been swung a predetermined amount to cause said spring to automatically return said movable cutter bar to its original position with a snap action.

4. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a handle fixed thereto, a handle lever pivoted to said base plate and having a catch, a fixed cutter bar mounted on one edge of said base plate, a movable cutter bar operably connected to said handle lever by said catch, spring means connected to said base plate and to said movable cutter bar for opposing the movement of said cutter bar in one direction, means movably mounted on said handle lever to suddently release said catch and disconnect said handle lever from said movable cutter bar when said lever has been swung a predetermined amount to cause said spring to automatically return said movable cutter bar to its original position with a snap action, said spring means being placed under tension by the swinging of said handle lever in one direction.

5. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate carrying a fixed cutter bar and a fixed handle, a handle operated movable cutter bar slidable with respect to said fixed cutter bar, a releasable spring for opposing the sliding movement of said movable cutter bar in one direction and being energized a by said sliding movement, and cam means movably mounted on said handle responsive to a predetermined sliding movement of said handle to suddenly release said movable cutter bar from its operating handle to permit said energized spring to impart a snap-action to said movable cutter bar to return it to its original position.'

6. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a cutter bar fixed thereto along one edge thereof, a movable cutter bar slidably mounted with respect to said fixed cutter bar, a spring connecting said base plate and said movable cutter bar to resist the movement of said movable cutter bar in one direction, a handle lever having a detachable connection with said movable cutter bar to move it in said direction and energize said spring, and means movably mounted on said handle lever responsive to a predetermined manual swinging of said handle lever to disconnect said lever from said movable cutter bar to permit said spring to automatically return the latter to its original position wtih a snap-action.

7. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a cutter bar fixed thereto along one edge thereof, a movable cutter bar slidably mounted with respect to said fixed cutter bar, a spring connecting said base plate and said movable cutter bar to resist the movement of said movable cutter bar in one direction, a handle lever having a detachable connection with said movable cutter bar to move it in said direction and energize said spring, and cam means movably mounted on said handle lever responsive to a predetermined manual swinging of said handle lever to disconnect said lever from said movable cutter bar to permit said spring to automatically return the latter to its original position with a snap-action.

8. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a cutter bar fixed thereto alongone edge thereof, a movable cutter bar slidably mounted with respect to said fixed cuter bar, a spring connecting said base plate and said movable cutter bar to resist the movement of said movable cutter bar in one direction, a handle lever having a detachable connection with said movable cutter bar to move it in said direction and energize said spring, and cam and latch means movably mounted on said handle lever responsive to a predetermined manual swinging of said handle lever to dis connect said lever from said movable cutter bar to permit said spring to automatically return the latter to its original position with a snap action.

9. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a plurality of double-edged teeth along one edge thereof, a cutter bar having a plurality of doubleedged teeth slidably mounted on said base plate, the teeth on said plate and bar overlapping to cooperate with each other, a first handle secured to said base plate, a second handle pivoted to said base plate, releasable means pivoted to said first handle to connect said second handle to said outter bar whereby said cutter bar will be moved by the manual pressing of said second handle toward said first handle, cam-operated catch means connected to said second handle to automatically release said second handle from said bar after a predetermined movement thereof, and spring means to suddenly retract said cutter bar to its original position when so released.

10. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a plurality of double-edged teeth along an edge thereof, a cutter bar having a plurality of doubleedged teeth slidably mounted on said base plate, the teeth on said base plate'and cutter bar overlapping to cooperate with each other, a first handle secured to said base plate, a handle lever pivoted to said base plate, a catch pivoted to said handle lever and engaging said cutter bar to releasably connect it to said lever, means to swing said catch to release said cutter bar from said handle lever, and a strong spring connecting said cutter bar and said base plate to suddenly retract said cutter bar after the latter is released from said second handle.

11. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a plurality of double-edged teeth along an edge thereof, a cutter bar having a plurality of doubleedged teeth slidably mounted on said base plate, the teeth on said base plate and cutter bar over lapping to cooperate with each other, a first handle secured to said base plate, a handle lever pivoted to said base plate, a catch pivoted to said handle lever and engaging said cutter bar to releasably connect it to said lever, cam-actuated means to swing said catch to release said cutter bar from said handle lever after a certain movement of said handle lever, and a strong spring connecting said cutter barand said base plate to suddenly retract said cutter bar after the latter is released from said second handle.

12. In a hedge trimmer, a base plate having a plurality of double-edged teeth along an edge thereof, a cutter bar having a plurality of doubleedged teeth slidably mounted on said base plate, the teeth on said base plate and cutter bar overlapping to cooperate with each other, a first handle secured to said plate, a handle lever pivoted to said plate, a catch pivotallyconnected to said handle lever and engaging said cutter bar to releasably hold the same, said catch having a.

finger, extending therefrom with a curved camming edge formed thereon, a pin on said base plate disposed in the path of said curved. camming edge to automatically swing said catch out of engagement with said cutter bar, and a spring connecting said cutter bar with said base plate to be tensioned when said cutter bar is moved by said second handle, said spring acting to sud- I denly retract said cutter bar when it is released from said second handle.

MICHAEL KAIVIINSKY. 

